Actuating devices of this type are used, for example, but by no means exclusively, for manually selecting gears or for gear preselection in speed-change gears of motor vehicles. Such Actuating device, which may be, for example, an actuating lever arranged between the front seats of a motor vehicle, are frequently equipped with an additional switching element, for example, with a switch, a button or even a sensor, in the area of the lever knob.
Such an additional switching element may be used, for example, to activate or deactivate additional functions besides the main actuation performed with the actuating lever.
It may be, for example, the manual starting or stopping of the internal combustion engine, or, for example, the P position (parking brake) of an automatic transmission can be engaged herewith.
Actuating devices or actuating levers with additional switching elements arranged in the area of the knob are known from the state of the art. Thus, DE 100 25 357 A1 shows a gearshift lever with a switch integrated in the shift knob for actuating additional functions of the motor vehicle.
However, it is necessary with such actuating devices or actuating levers with additional switching elements, which are known from the state of the art, to wire the additional switch, which is arranged, for example, in the knob of the actuating lever, separately, or to install a flexible electrical line connection from the rigid base area of the actuating lever through the actuating lever into the knob area of the actuating lever in order to make it possible to transmit the electrical switching signals of the additional switching element to the respective switching receiver.
However, the electrical line is also moved along in this case during motion of the actuating lever in the area in which the actuating lever is connected to the lever base and is even deformed by bending each time. This continual bending deformation of the electrical line connection between the additional switching element and the lever base may, however, lead to fatigue of the connection cable and ultimately to damage to or failure of the signal transmission between the additional switching element and the switching receiver.
Furthermore, it is necessary already at the time of the mounting of such a prior-art Actuating device with additional switching element that the electrical line between the mobile actuating element and the immobile base area is installed especially carefully, because, on the one hand, the electrical line requires a certain unobstructed free space for the length and motion compensation in the transition area between the actuating element and the base area, and, on the other hand, it must be ensured that the electrical line cannot be clamped between the components of Actuating device, which components are movable in relation to one another, despite the certain mobility that is necessary. However, both require great care during assembly and thus lead to a comparatively complicated and expensive mounting of the prior-art Actuating device with additional switching element.
Finally, the arrangement of an electrical switching element, for example, in the knob of an actuating lever, is likewise not unproblematic, because the electrical switching element is exposed to additional external effects in this case. Such additional external effects, for example, shocks during motion and at the end stop of the operating element, abusive forces, or even intense heating, especially in the motor vehicle, may lead to premature aging or failure of the electrical switching element. However, this is hardly acceptable, especially when such an additional switching element is used for applications that are critical in terms of safety.